Which Platform Should You Actually Use?
Choosing between n8n, Zapier, and Make is one of the most important decisions you'll make for your automation stack. I've tested all three extensively and worked with teams using each one. Here's the definitive breakdown.
The Quick Verdict
| Feature | N8n | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free (self-hosted) | $19-599/mo | $9-499/mo |
| Ease of Use | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Integrations | 400+ | 7000+ | 1000+ |
| Flexibility | ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐ | ⭐⭐⭐⭐ |
| Best For | Complex workflows, self-hosted | Beginners, integration-heavy | Mid-market, good balance |
| Learning Curve | Moderate | Shallow | Moderate |
| Execution Speed | Fast | Slow | Very Fast |
N8n: The Powerhouse
What It Is
N8n is an open-source, self-hosted workflow automation platform that's gained massive traction since 2020. It's the choice of engineers who need control.
Pricing
- Free Self-Hosted: Unlimited workflows, unlimited executions
- Cloud Starter: $25/month
- Cloud Pro: $600/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
✅ Completely free if self-hosted (just pay for server)
✅ Unlimited workflows and executions at any tier
✅ Full control and transparency (open source)
✅ JSON-based configuration (powerful for devs)
✅ Webhook support is exceptional
✅ Error handling is sophisticated
✅ No execution time limits unlike competitors
Cons
❌ Self-hosting requires technical knowledge
❌ Smaller integration ecosystem (400+)
❌ Community smaller than Zapier
❌ UI learning curve steeper than Zapier
Best For
- Developers building internal tools
- Companies needing self-hosted solutions
- Complex workflows with custom logic
- Cost-sensitive enterprises
Real Numbers
- Average savings vs Zapier: 60-75% on execution costs
- Typical payoff period: 2-3 months of saved Zapier fees
- Complexity threshold: Starts making sense around 50+ monthly tasks
Zapier: The Gateway Drug
What It Is
Zapier is the most popular automation platform. It's the "training wheels" of workflow automation - easy to use, but you pay for the ease.
Pricing
- Free: 100 tasks/month, limited triggers
- Starter: $19/month (750 tasks)
- Professional: $49/month (2,000 tasks)
- Team: $99/month (5,000 tasks)
- Pro: $199/month (15,000 tasks)
- Max: $599/month (75,000 tasks)
Pros
✅ Easiest onboarding (no technical skills needed)
✅ Massive integration library (7000+ apps)
✅ Excellent documentation and tutorials
✅ Quick to get started (minutes to first workflow)
✅ Visual builder is intuitive
✅ Great support and community
Cons
❌ Extremely expensive at scale (tasks add up fast)
❌ Limited advanced features (basic logic only)
❌ No JSON editing for complex operations
❌ Slow execution (can take 15+ seconds per task)
❌ Limited error handling options
Best For
- First-time automation users
- Simple integrations (2-3 apps)
- Non-technical founders
- Quick MVP automations
Real Numbers
- Average cost at scale: $200-500/month
- Cost per task: $0.025-0.008 depending on volume
- Monthly execution limit: Frustrating for power users
Make: The Underrated Winner
What It Is
Make (formerly Integromat) is the underrated middle ground. It's got 80% of Zapier's ease with 2-3x Zapier's power and 1/3 the cost.
Pricing
- Free: 1,000 operations/month, unlimited scenarios
- Basic: $9.99/month (10,000 ops)
- Standard: $18.99/month (50,000 ops)
- Professional: $74.99/month (200,000 ops)
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
Pros
✅ Incredible value at every price point
✅ Operations model is fairer than Zapier
✅ Fast execution (2-5 seconds typical)
✅ Great JSON support for complex logic
✅ 1000+ integrations (growing fast)
✅ Aggregator feature is powerful
✅ Array handling is intuitive
Cons
❌ UI can feel cluttered to beginners
❌ Smaller ecosystem than Zapier
❌ Documentation not as comprehensive
❌ Community smaller than Zapier
Best For
- Mid-market companies
- Power users moving from Zapier
- Complex automation with good UX
- Budget-conscious teams
Real Numbers
- Average cost: $30-100/month (5-10x cheaper than Zapier)
- Operations per dollar: 10-20x better than Zapier
- Sweet spot: 5000-50000 operations/month
Head-to-Head Comparison
Simple 3-Step Workflow
Cost per month:
- N8n (self-hosted): ~$5-15 (server cost)
- Zapier: $19-49
- Make: $9.99
Winner: N8n (if you can self-host), Make (if cloud-based)
Medium Complexity (50+ monthly tasks)
Cost per month:
- N8n: ~$25 (cloud)
- Zapier: $99-199
- Make: $18.99
Winner: Make
Enterprise Scale (10,000+ monthly tasks)
Cost per month:
- N8n: $600+ (cloud) or $50-100 (self-hosted)
- Zapier: $599 (if you fit their max tier)
- Make: $74.99-200+ (custom)
Winner: N8n (self-hosted) by massive margin
Integration Ecosystem Comparison
Top Categories (# of integrations)
| Category | N8n | Zapier | Make |
|---|---|---|---|
| CRM | 8 | 120+ | 25 |
| E-commerce | 12 | 200+ | 35 |
| Analytics | 6 | 80+ | 15 |
| Email/Chat | 15 | 150+ | 40 |
| Database | 8 | 40+ | 12 |
| HTTP/Webhooks | Excellent | Good | Excellent |
Key insight: Zapier dominates existing app integrations. N8n and Make are better for custom API integrations.
Performance Comparison
Execution Speed (seconds per task)
- N8n: 0.5-2 seconds
- Zapier: 10-20 seconds
- Make: 1-4 seconds
Reliability
- N8n: 99.9%+ (self-hosted control)
- Zapier: 99.99% (enterprise-grade)
- Make: 99.95%
Error Handling
- N8n: Native error branches, webhooks
- Zapier: Basic retry logic
- Make: Good array handling, moderate error handling
How to Choose
Choose N8n if:
- You're comfortable with self-hosting
- You need unlimited executions
- You're building complex internal tools
- You want to minimize ongoing costs
- You need custom logic and JSON support
Choose Zapier if:
- You're new to automation
- You need 7000+ pre-built integrations
- You're integrating 10+ mainstream apps
- You want the easiest onboarding
- Budget isn't your main concern
Choose Make if:
- You want Zapier-like ease at 1/5 the cost
- You need good JSON and array support
- You're moving from Zapier to save money
- You need fast execution
- You want a sweet spot between simple and powerful
The Real Talk
Here's what most people don't tell you:
- Most teams use multiple platforms - Use Zapier for simple stuff, Make for medium, N8n for complex
- Zapier becomes expensive FAST - A simple CRM workflow with 100 daily tasks = $50+/month
- Make is the best value - If you had to pick one, Make beats Zapier 95% of the time
- N8n requires commitment - The free tier requires technical setup, but the payoff is massive
- Integrations matter less than you think - 80% of workflows just need HTTP requests
Our Recommendation Framework
For your automation journey, we recommend:
- Start: Zapier or Make (easy entry)
- Scale: Make or N8n Cloud (better value)
- Mature: N8n Self-Hosted (unlimited scale)
This progression keeps you unblocked while optimizing costs.
What We Use
Honestly? We use all three:
- N8n: Complex client workflows, internal tools
- Zapier: Quick integrations with popular apps
- Make: Most new projects (best price-performance)
The platform matters less than the workflows you build.
Ready to Build Better Workflows?
Regardless of which platform you choose, our n8n Automation Templates will accelerate your implementation:
- Pre-built workflows for n8n
- Migration guides from Zapier to n8n/Make
- Cost optimization templates
- Industry-specific workflows
- Error handling best practices
Key Takeaway
Don't get trapped in Zapier pricing. Test Make or self-hosted n8n first. You'll probably save $100-500/month while getting better performance.
P.S. - The wrong platform choice can cost you thousands annually. Most teams overspend on Zapier simply because they don't know the alternatives. Make or n8n can save you 70% on automation costs while delivering better performance.
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